International 

Correspondence 

Schools 


SCRANTON,  PA. 


REC.  U.S.  PAT.  OFF 


INSTRUCTION   PAPER 

with  Examination   Questions 


FIRST  EDITION 


Ponies,  Asses,  and  Mules 

By  I.  C.  S.  Staff 


1328 


SCRANTON,  PA. 
INTERNATIONAL  TEXTBOOK  COMPANY 

1921 


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Copyright,    1912,    by    International   Textbook   Company.      Entered    at    Stationers' 
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PONIES,  ASSES,  AND  MULES 


PONIES 


GENERAL    REMARKS 

1 .  The  distinction  between  ponies  and  horses  is  made  almost 
entirely  on  a  basis  of  size  of  the  animals.  In  general,  all  horses, 
regardless  of  type  or  breed,  that  are  less  than  14j  hands  high  are 
classed  as  ponies.  The  small  size  of  ponies  may  be  attributed 
largely  to  the  adverse  climatic  conditions,  the  scanty  supply  of 
feed,  and  the  inbreeding  to  which  the  animals  were  subjected 
for  many  generations.  Distinct  types  of  diminutive  horses,  or 
ponies,  are  found  in  almost  all  cotm tries.  Thus,  in  the  western 
part  of  Asia,  there  are  the  Arab  and  its  near  allies,  the  Turk, 
the  Barb,  and  the  Persian  ponies;  in  the  eastern  part  of  Asia, 
the  Mongolian,  the  Japanese,  the  Korean,  the  Burma,  and  the 
Manipura  ponies;  in  the  northern  part  of  Europe,  the  Russian 
and  the  Scandinavian,  or  Norwegian,  ponies;  in  the  British 
Isles,  the  Shetland,  the  Welsh,  the  Exmoor,  the  Dartmoor,  the 
New  Forest,  the  Scotland,  the  Galloway,  and  the  Connemara 
ponies;  in  Iceland,  the  Celtic  pony;  and  in  America,  the  bron- 
cos that  were  originally  found  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the 
United  States  and  the  northern  part  of  Mexico,  the  Indian 
ponies,  found  originally  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  United 
States  and  the  western  part  of  Canada,  the  Creole  ponies  of 
Louisiana,  the  Sable  Island  ponies,  and  the  ponies  of  the  South 
Atlantic  States.  Besides  these  regional  breeds,  or  types,  of 
ponies,  there  is  a  general  class  of  ponies  being  developed  for 
use  in  playing  polo  that  are  known  as  polo  ponies.  Only  those 
ponies  that  are  of  most  importance  in  America,  namely,  the 
Shetland  pony,  the  Welsh  pony,  the  bronco,  and  the  Indian 
pony,  will  be  discussed  in  this  Section. 

COPYRIGHTED     BY     INTERNATIONAL    TEXTBOOK    COMPANY.       ALL    RIGHTS     RESERVED 

§40 


§  40  PONIES,  ASSES,  AND  MULES 


BRITISH    ISLE    PONIES 


SHETLAND    PONIES 

2.  Nativity  of  the  Shetland  Pony. — The  native  home  of  the 
Shetland  pony  is  a  group  of  about  one  hundred  and  twenty 
islands  known  as  the  Shetland  Islands,  which  are  located  from 
150  to  200  miles  north  of  Scotland.  Although  these  islands 
are  rather  far  to  the  north,  the  climate  is  tempered  by  the  Gulf 
Stream,  in  the  course  of  which  the  islands  are  located.  How- 
ever, the  winters  are  long  and  severe,  the  wind  blows  almost 
constantly,  and  dense  fogs,  mists,  and  cold  rains  are  much  in 
evidence.  Some  of  the  islands  are  uninhabited  and  offer  only 
scant  pasturage  for  the  few  sheep  or  ponies  that  are  pastured 
on  them  and  that,  from  the  earliest  history  of  the  islands,  have 
been  known  to  exist  there.  The  severe  weather,  the  scarcity 
of  feed,  which  consists  only  of  hay  and  pasture,  and  the  fact 
that  but  little  if  any  shelter  is  ever  given  to  the  ponies  may 
account  largely  for  the  small  size,  the  enduring  qualities,  and 
the  heavy  coat  of  fine  hair  of  the  Shetland  ponies. 

3.  Description  of  the  Shetland  Pony. — The  average  size  of 
pure-bred  Shetland  ponies,  which  are  the  smallest  of  ponies, 
ranges  from  9  to  10  hands;  although  the  minimimi  and  maxi- 
mum heights  may  be  placed  at  7|  and  11^  hands.  The  rela- 
tive size  of  a  Shetland  pony  and  that  of  a  large  work  horse  is 
shown  in  Fig.  1.  The  limit  of  the  height  of  ponies  that  may 
be  registered  by  the  Shetland  Pony  Stud  Book  Society  of  Scot- 
land is  42  inches;  the  American  Shetland  Pony  Club  will  regis- 
ter pure-bred  Shetland  ponies  that  are  46  inches  in  height  at 
the  withers.  The  height  and  weight  of  a  Shetland  pony  may 
be  increased  by  giving  it  better  care  and  more  feed  than  it 
had  formerly  received.  Thus,  a  pony  brought  from  the  severe 
climate  and  scanty  supply  of  feed  of  the  Shetland  Islands  to 
the  more  temperate  climate,  luxurious  pastures,  and  abundance 
of  feed  of  the  corn-belt  region  of  the  United  States  will,  if  not 
too  old,  increase  in  size.     Also,  the  offspring  of  such  ponies 


§  40  PONIES,  ASSES,  AND  MULES  7 

have  a  tendency  to  become  much  larger  than  their  parents. 
The  weight  for  a  Shetland  of  average  height  will  vary  from  325 
to  375  pounds. 

The  general  appearance  of  the  best  specimens  of  Shetland 
ponies  is  that  of  a  diminutive  draft  horse.  The  body  is  deep; 
the  legs  are  short;  the  back  is  short  and  broad;  the  chest  is 
deep  and  full;  the  bone  is  fine,  smooth,  and  strong;  the  neck  is 
short,  muscular,  and  slightly  arched;  the  head  and  ears  are 
small;  and  the  eyes  are  prominent.  In  color,  they  are  usually 
brown,  black,  or  bay;  although  dun,  chestnut,  gray,  piebald, 
and  some  with  white  markings  are  not  uncommon.  Those 
with  white  markings,  such  as  the  mare  illustrated  in  Fig.  2, 
are  very  popular. 

The  coat  of  the  Shetland  is  long  and  shaggy,  especially  on 
an  animal  under  2  years  of  age.  A  striking  example  of  two 
ponies  "VNdth  long,  shaggy  coats  is  illustrated  in  Fig.  3.  During 
early  spring,  the  coat  loses  its  luster  and  usually  sheds  in 
patches,  making  a  very  forlorn  looking  pony,  but  after  the 
shedding  is  completed  the  pony  is  covered  with  a  coat  of  fine, 
silky,  lustrous  hair.  A  fine  specimen  of  a  mature  Shetland 
pony  stallion  is  shown  in  Fig.  4. 

4.  Uses  of  Shetland  Ponies. — Shetland  ponies  are  very 
docile,  and  in  their  native  islands  are  used  as  beasts  of  burden, 
to  carry  large  packs  of  dried  peat  that  is  used  for  fuel.  These 
packs  often  weigh  as  much  as  120  or  140  pounds.  A  common 
fall  scene  in  the  Shetland  Islands  of  the  ponies  carrying  peat 
is  shown  in  Fig.  5.  The  photographs  from  which  Figs.  3  and  5 
were  made  were  furnished  by  Dr.  S.  B.  Elliot,  of  Markham, 
Virginia.  The  women  often  have  charge  of  this  work  and  make 
companions  of  the  ponies,  allowing  them  to  go  into  their  little 
huts  or  dwellings  much  the  same  as  some  people  do  with  dogs. 

A  large  number  of  Shetland  ponies  are  raised  in  England 
and  Scotland,  where  they  are  used  extensively  for  drawing  cars 
of  coal  in  the  mines  to  the  main  hoisting  shaft.  It  is  claimed 
that  in  the  mines  a  pony  weighing  350  pounds  will  travel 
30  miles  a  day  and  draw,  on  rails,  a  car  weighing  from  1,200 
to  1,400  pounds. 


10  PONIES,  ASSES,  AND  MULES  §  40 

In  America,  the  Shetland  pony  is  used  chiefly  by  children 
and  for  light  driving,  that  is,  in  such  outfits  as  is  shown  in 
Fig.  6.  The  ponies  are  easily  trained  for  riding  and  driving, 
and  are  noted  for  their  intelligence,  their  gentle  disposition, 
and  their  freedom  from  the  trickiness  of  some  ponies  and  horses. 

For  delicate  children,  whose  health  would  be  improved  by 
living  out  of  doors,  the  companionship  of  a  Shetland  pony  is  an 
excellent  means  of  inducing  them  to  remain  out  of  doors  much 
of  the  time;  and  the  exercise  that  the  children  take  in  riding  and 
driving  a  pony  is  generally  considered  to  have  a  most  exhil- 
arating and  health-giving  effect.  On  account  of  the  gentle 
disposition  of  the  Shetland,  and  the  fact  that  it  can  be  easily 
managed  by  a  child  from  9  to  15  years  of  age,  it  is  conceded  to 
be  the  animal  best  adapted  for  the  use  of  children. 

5.  Breeding  of  Shetland  Ponies. — Imported  Shetland 
ponies  should  not  be  bred  until  they  have  become  thoroughly 
acclimated,  and,  like  all  breeds  of  domestic  animals,  they 
should  not  be  too  fat  when  bred.  A  Shetland  mare  should  not 
be  bred  until  she  is  3  years  old ;  but  thereafter  she  may  be  bred 
for  from  20  to  25  years,  or  so  long  as  she  will  produce  strong, 
vigorous  colts.  The  best  time  of  the  year  to  breed  the  mares 
is  from  the  first  of  May  to  the  middle  of  July,  during  which 
time  they  get  an  abundance  of  succulent  grass  and  plenty  of 
exercise.  The  latter  is  just  as  essential,  or  even  more  so,  for  the 
best  condition  of  breeding  stallions  as  it  is  for  breeding  mares. 

A  pregnant  mare  should  be  driven  with  care  up  to  within 
3  weeks  of  the  time  for  foaling;  she  should  have  light  driving  up 
to  within  a  few  days  of  the  time  for  her  to  foal,  at  which  time, 
unless  the  weather  is  stormy,  she  should  be  placed  in  a  pasture 
lot  or  paddock  by  herself.  If  it  should  be  raining,  cold,  or 
stormy,  she  should  be  placed  in  a  rather  large  box  stall. 

6.  Care  of  a  Shetland  Colt  and  Its  Dam. — For  a  few  days 
after  a  mare  foals,  especially  if  she  foals  in  the  spring  or  during 
cold  or  rainy  weather,  the  colt  and  the  dam  should  be  kept 
where  they  can  be  watched  closely,  so  that  assistance  may  be- 
given  them  if  necessary.  If  the  mare  foals  during  the  spring, 
it  is  advisable  that  she  and  the  colt  be  given  shelter  at  night 


§  40  PONIES,  ASSES,  AND  MULES  11 

at  least;  but  when  the  weather  becomes  warm  they  should  be 
turned  on  pasture  for  the  following  summer  and  fall. 

Ordinarily,  there  should  be  no  concentrate  feed  given  to  them 
during  the  time  they  are  on  pasture;  but,  if  the  pasturage 
becomes  very  scanty  during  the  summer  and  both  the  mare 
and  her  colt  begin  to  lose  flesh,  extra  forage,  such  as  oats,  rye, 
or  green  com,  should  be  given  to  them.  And,  if  the  mare 
becomes  very  thin  from  suckling  the  colt,  about  1  quart  of 
oats  and  an  equal  quantity  of  wheat  bran  should  be  given  to 
her  twice  a  day.  If  foaled  in  early  sirmmer,  as  should  be  the 
case,  the  colt  will  increase  in  size  rapidly  and  by  fall  will  be  a 
vigorous,  rugged,  httle  fellow  more  than  twice  its  size  at  birth. 

7.  Weaning  a  Shetland  Pony  Colt, — In  the  Shetland  Islands, 
as  a  rule,  the  colts  are  allowed  to  run  with  their  dams  the  first 
winter;  but  some  of  the  most  successful  breeders  of  Shetland 
ponies  outside  of  the  Shetland  Islands  make  a  practice  of  wean- 
ing the  colts  when  they  are  from  5  to  7  months  old  and  supply- 
ing them  with  a  liberal  ration  through  the  winter.  In  order 
that  a  mare  may  experience  no  bad  effects,  such  as  caked  udder, 
from  weaning  her  colt,  the  colt  shoiild  be  allowed  to  go  to  its 
dam  once  a  day  for  5  or  6  days  to  nurse  out  the  milk  that 
may  accumulate  in  her  udder.  The  colt  and  the  dam  should 
then  be  separated  permanently  and  the  udder  should  be 
emptied  thoroughly  every  2  or  3  days  for  a  week. 

8.  Care  and  Feeding  of  Shetland  Ponies. — In  general,  the 
feeding  and  care  of  Shetland  ponies  after  they  are  weaned  is 
much  the  same  as  that  of  horses;  but,  since  the  ponies  are  very 
much  smaller  than  horses,  they  require  a  much  smaller  quan- 
tity of  feed.  In  fact,  the  quantity  of  feed  required  for  Shet- 
land ponies  is  about  the  same,  per  1,000  pounds  of  live  weight, 
as  for  draft  horses;  that  is,  about  the  same  quantity  of  feed 
that  is  required  by  a  1,100-poimd  draft  horse  wiU  be  sufficient 
for  at  least  three  350-poimd  ponies.  But  the  quantity  of  feed 
required  at  any  time  will,  of  course,  vary  according  to  the 
energy  expended  by  horse  or  pony. 

Colts,  until  they  are  2  years  old,  should  not  be  worked,  and 
should  be  allowed  all  the  fine,  bright,  well-cured  hay  that  they 

243—41 


12  PONIES,  ASSES,  AND  MULES  §  40 

will  eat  or  have  the  run  of  a  good  pasture.  For  mature  ponies 
that  are  under  the  saddle  or  in  harness  for  only  a  few  hours 
each  day,  and  are  used  by  rather  small  children,  1  pint  of  wheat 
bran  or  of  oats  or  an  ear  of  com  given  to  each  pony  once  a  day 
will  be  sufficient.  But  a  pony  10  to  10|  hands  high  and  used 
several  hours  a  day  by  adults  as  well  as  by  children  should  have 
from  1  to  1|  quarts  of  oats  three  times  a  day. 

Care  should  be  exercised  not  to  drive  or  ride  a  pony  so  long 
that  it  becomes  very  hot  and  sweats  profusely;  but  in  case  it 
does  become  very  much  warmed  up  from  exercise,  grain  feed 
or  more  than  from  six  to  ten  swallows  of  water  should  not  be 
given  to  it  until  it  has  cooled  off.  Under  ordinary  conditions 
a  pony  should  be  watered  before  and  after  eating  and  in  the 
middle  of  the  forenoon  and  the  afternoon. 

9.  Registration  of  Pure-Bred  Shetland  Ponies. — The  inter- 
ests of  pure-bred  Shetland  ponies  in  regard  to  the  improvement 
of  the  breed,  the  keeping  of  records  of  pedigrees,  the  transfer 
of  ownership,  etc.,  are  looked  after  in  America  by  the  American 
Shetland  Pony  Club,  which  was  organized  in  1888.  This  club 
furnishes  the  blank  forms  that,  when  correctly  filled  out  and 
accompanied  by  the  proper  fee,  are  necessary  for  the  registra- 
tion of  a  pure-bred  Shetland  pony. 

10.  Scale  of  Points  for  Shetland  Ponies. — As  an  aid  to 

judges,  the  American  Shetland  Pony  Club  has  adopted  the  fol- 
lowing scale  of  points  for  the  Shetland  pony: 

Scale  of  Points  Points 

Constitution. — Indicated   by  general  healthy  appearance,  perfect 

respiration,  and  brightness  of  eye 10 

Size. — Ponies  over  4  years  old  42  inches  and  under  in  height,  two 

points  to  be  deducted  for  every  inch  over  42  inches  up  to  46  inches, 

fractional  portions  to  count  as  full  inches 25 

Head. — Symmetrical,  rather  small  and  fine,  wide  between  the  eyes; 

ears  short  and  erect 10 

Body. — Barrel  well  rounded,  back  short  and  level,  deep  chest,  good 

breast,  compact  "  pony  build  " 10 

Legs. — Muscular,  fiat  boned,  hind  leg  not  cowhocked  or  too  crooked  .      25 

Mane  and  Tail. — Foretop,  mane  and  tail  heavy 10 

Feet.— Good _10 

100 


14  PONIES,  ASSES,  AND  MULES  §  40 


WELSH    PONIES 

11.  The  Welsh  pony,  as  the  name  impHes,  is  a  native  of 
Wales;  or  at  least,  this  pony  has  been  known  to  exist  in  Wales 
since  the  earliest  history  of  that  country.  In  general  confor- 
mation, the  Welsh  pony,  as  shown  in  Fig.  7,  resembles  the 
roadster  type  of  horses,  instead  of  the  draft  type,  as  does  the 
Shetland  pony.  The  Welsh  pony  is  a  sturdy,  stockily  built 
animal,  has  a  beautiful  head,  sloping  shoulders,  clean,  smooth 
legs,  and  is  heavily  muscled.  It  is  larger  than  the  Shetland, 
ranging  in  height  from  11  to  13  hands.  The  size  varies  some- 
what according  to  parentage,  the  care  and  the  quantity  of 
feed  given  to  them;  etc.  Ponies  from  the  mountainous  regions 
of  Wales  are  smaller  than  those  from  the  lowlands,  where  the 
natural  feed  conditions  are  more  favorable  than  those  in  the 
mountainous  sections. 

The  Welsh  pony  is  generally  conceded  to  be  more  alert  and 
quicker  in  action  than  is  the  Shetland  pony.  These  qualities 
are  due,  perhaps,  to  a  cross  of  Arabian  blood  at  some  early  time 
on  the  native  Welsh  ponies.  On  account  of  the  more  lively 
action  and  the  larger  size  of  the  Welsh  ponies,  they  are  not 
usually  considered  to  be  so  well  adapted  for  the  use  of  small 
children  as  are  Shetland  ponies.  But  where  larger  ponies  than 
Shetlands  are  desired,  for  driving  and  riding  by  adults  or  by 
children  from  12  to  18  years  old,  Welsh  ponies  are  admirably 
adapted  for  the  purpose.  Also,  Welsh  ponies  are  used  exten- 
sively in  playing  polo. 

The  breeding,  care,  and  management  of  Welsh  ponies  is  prac- 
tically the  same  as  that  for  light  horses. 


AMERICAN    PONIES 

12.  The  ponies  of  America  are  the  descendants  of  horses 
that  were  brought  to  America  by  early  Spanish  explorers.  It 
is  supposed  that  some  of  these  horses  either  escaped  or  were 
turned  loose  and  that  their  offspring  formed  the  herds  of  wild 
horses  that  roamed  over  the  plains  of  the  western  portion  of 
the  United  States,  Canada,  and  the  northern  portion  of  Mex- 


16  PONIES,  ASSES,  AND  MULES  §  40 

ico.  These  horses,  or  ponies,  were  tough,  wiry,  hardy,  and 
variously  colored;  some  of  them  were  beautiful  animals  with 
fine  heads  showing  much  character,  and  they  had  high-class 
limbs  and  feet.  A  few  were  domesticated  by  the  Indians,  but 
it  remained  for  the  pioneer  settlers  and  cowboys  of  the  plains 
to  catch,  subdue,  and  break  these  bucking,  courageous  little 
animals.  There  existed  two  rather  distinct  types  of  the  wild 
horses  of  western  America,  namely,  the  broncos,  which  are  found 
in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  United  States  and  in  Mexico, 
and  the  Indian  ponies,  which  were  found  in  the  northwestern 
part  of  the  United  States  and  in  the  western  part  of  Canada. 


BRONCO    PONIES 

13.  Bronco  ponies  are  not  often  more  than  14  hands  high 
and  weigh  about  800  pounds.  They  are  exceedingly  hardy, 
have  good,  strong  constitutions,  excellent  feet,  strong  legs, 
and  usually  can  endure  much  hardship.  In  the  best  types  of 
the  broncos,  such  as  the  one  shown  in  Fig.  8,  the  head  is  small 
and  clean-cut;  the  eyes  are  bright  and  piercing;  the  ears  are 
small  and  attractively  set;  the  neck  is  of  medium  length,  well 
crested,  and  very  well  carried;  and  the  body  is  short,  deep,  and 
muscular.  The  bronco  is  not  a  particularly  swift  animal,  as 
ranchmen,  astride  a  good  domestic  horse,  could  ride  down  and 
capture  the  bronco  in  its  wild  state.  However,  the  bronco 
has  great  endurance,  as  may  be  judged  from  the  fact  that  it 
frequently  has  been  ridden  by  a  heavy  man  in  a  50-pound  sad- 
dle for  several  days  in  succession  over  rough,  rocky  trails. 

During  the  pioneering  period  of  the  western  part  of  the  United 
States,  the  broncos  were  extensively  used  by  the  ranchmen  as 
saddle  horses ;  but  as  the  country  became  more  and  more  devel- 
oped, there  was  a  decreasing  demand  for  broncos  and  an 
increasing  demand  for  larger  and  swifter  horses.  Large  num- 
bers of  grade  bronco  ponies,  that  is,  the  offspring  of  native 
bronco  mares  and  domestic  stallions,  have  been  shipped  to  the 
cities,  where  they  are  used  for  drawing  light  delivery  wagons, 
for  light  driving,  and  as  saddle  ponies;  and  a  few  of  the  better 
ones  have  been  used  for  polo  playing. 


§  40  PONIES,  ASSES,  AND  MULES  17 

The  breeding  of  bronco  ponies  takes  place  almost  entirely 
on  the  large  ranches  in  the  western  part  of  the  United  States; 
but  even  there  they  are  rapidly  being  replaced  by  better,  larger 
horses.  ___^__ 

INDIAN    PONIES 

14.  Indian  ponies  were  found  in  a  wild  state  in  the  north- 
western part  of  the  United  States  and  in  the  western  part  of 
Canada;  they  are  slightly  smaller,  but  are  more  compact  of 
body,  have  stronger  bone,  and  are  inore  tractable,  more  intel- 
ligent, and  display  more  courage  than  the  broncos.  The 
Indian  ponies  often  have  considerable  hair  on  their  legs,  and 
heavy  manes  and  tails.  This  hairiness  is  not  a  common  char- 
acter of  the  broncos,  and  indicates  that  the  Indian  pony  and 
the  bronco  pony  are  probably  not  descendants  of  the  same 
foundation  stock. 

Indian  ponies  are  used  for  much  the  same  purpose  as  broncos, 
and,  like  broncos,  they  are  rapidly  being  replaced  by  superior 
horses.  

ASSES 

15.  General  Description.— The  ass,  or  as  it  is  often  called, 
the  donkey,  or  hurro,  belongs  to  the  same  genus  of  animals 
as  the  horse,  although  it  differs  from  the  horse  in  several 
details.  The  ears  are  very  large  and  long;  the  body  is  short, 
very  compact,  nearly  round,  and  is  often  covered  with  very 
long  hair,  especially  during  the  winter  months.  The  foretop 
and  mane  are  very  scanty  and  stand  nearly  upright;  the  tail 
bears  no  long  hair  except  near  its  end,  which  is  covered  with 
a  brush  of  rather  long  hair;  the  quarters  lack  the  deep  muscling 
of  draft  horses;  the  bones  of  the  legs  are  large  and  strong,  the 
joints  are  sometimes  rather  large,  and  the  feet  are  small  and 
narrow. 

In  size,  asses  vary  from  the  small  ass,  or  burro,  which  is 
often  not  more  than  9  hands  high,  to  asses  16  hands  in  height. 
In  America,  the  prevailing  color  of  asses  for  mule  breeding  is 
very  dark  brown  or  black  with  Hght  points,  that  is,  with  a  Hght 


§  40  PONIES,  ASSES,  AND  MULES  19 

creamy  color  around  the  eyes,  covering  the  muzzle,  and  on  the 
belly.  A  good  specimen  of  a  mule-breeding  jack  is  illustrated  in 
Fig.  9.     Gray  or  blue  gray  is  a  common  color  of  the  small  asses. 

16.  Uses  of  Asses. — The  chief  use  of  asses  in  America  is 
that  of  using  the  jacks  for  breeding  with  mares  for  the  pro- 
duction of  mules.  The  small  asses  are  used  extensively  as 
pack  animals  over  rough,  mountainous  trails.  For  this  pur- 
pose the  small  animals  are  especially  adapted,  as  they  are 
particularly  siire  footed,  are  extremely  docile,  and  bear  with 
much  endurance  and  stability  hea\'y  and  sometimes  bulky 
packs.  In  some  localities  the  burro  is  used  for  drawing  loads 
of  coal  and  ore  in  mines  from  the  workings  to  the  hoisting  shaft. 

17.  Breeding  of  Jacks  to  Mares. — The  breeding  of  a  mare 
to  a  jack  does  not  differ  in  many  respects  from  that  of  breeding 
her  to  a  stallion.  Jacks,  however,  are  very  timid  animals  and 
often  refuse  to  serve  under  strange  surroundings  or  to  serve 
a  mare  if  they  have  previously  been  used  in  serving  jennies. 
Jacks  that  are  to  be  used  for  mule  breeding  should  be  raised 
with  horses,  for  many  jacks,  if  they  are  raised  with  asses, 
absolutely  refuse  to  serve  mares;  and  sometimes  a  jack 
that  has  been  trained  to  serve  mares  will  refuse  to  continue 
to  do  so  if  it  is  once  allowed  to  serv^e  a  jenny. 

A  stallion  should  be  used  to  tease  the  mares,  and  when  a 
mare  is  found  to  be  in  heat,  the  stallion  should  be  removed 
and  aU  preparations  made  so  that  the  jack  may  mount  as  soon 
as  he  is  led  from  the  stall.  If  he  refuses  to  mount,  he  should 
not  be  abused  but  coaxed  and  petted.  Sometimes  a  jack 
may  be  induced  to  serve  a  mare  by  blindfolding  him,  and  by 
dampening  the  tail  of  the  mare  with  the  urine  of  a  jenny. 
If  a  large  mare  is  to  be  bred  to  a  jack,  some  arrangement,  such 
as  a  breeding  chute  or  a  pit,  should  be  provided  so  that  the 
mare  may  be  lowered  to  about  the  height  of  the  jack. 

18.  Breeds  of  Asses. — On  account  of  the  fact  that  the  ass 
has  been  raised  in  widely  different  sections  of  the  world  and 
under  varying  conditions  of  climate,  care,  and  feed,  there  have 
been  developed  several  rather  distinct  strains,  or  breeds.     The 


20  PONIES,  ASSES,  AND  MULES  §  40 

jacks  that  are  used  most  extensively  in  the  United  States  for 
mule  raising  are  of  the  Catalonian,  Andalusian,  Majorca, 
Pottou,  and  Maltese  breeds. 

The  Catalonian  jacks  come  from  the  northeastern  part  of 
Spain.  They  are  black  or  dark  brown  with  light  points, 
and  are  from  14^  to  15  hands  high.  For  jacks,  they  possess 
unusual  style,  beauty,  and  action.  Their  heads  are  said  to 
show  character;  and  their  ears  are  rarely  droopy.  These 
jacks  are  wiry  and  tough,  mature  at  an  early  age,  and  are 
used  freely  in  Missouri,  Tennessee,  and  Kentucky  for  the 
production  of  breeding  jacks  and  large,  high-grade  mules. 

The  Andalusian  jacks  come  from  the  southern  part  of  Spain, 
are  usually  gray  but  sometimes  black,  stand  14|  to  15|  hands 
high,  and  have  a  good  quality  of  bone.  Although  these  jacks 
are  found  in  various  parts  of  the  United  States,  they  are  not 
popular,  perhaps  on  account  of  their  light  color. 

The  Majorca  jacks  come  from  the  island  of  Majorca,  which 
is  off  the  coast  of  Spain  in  the  Mediterranean  Sea.  They 
stand  on  an  average  15^  hands  high.  They  lack  style  and 
action,  and,  in  fact,  have  a  tendency  to  be  sluggish.  Their 
heads  and  ears  are  very  large ;  the  ears  are  claimed  to  be  longer 
than  those  of  any  other  breed  of  asses.  In  appearance  the 
Majorca  jacks  are  large,  approaching  the  draft  type  of  animal. 

Although  the  Poitou  ass  is  claimed  to  be  the  strongest  of  any 
breed  of  asses,  the  jacks  have  not  been  used  by  American  mule 
breeders  as  extensively  as  the  Catalonian  jacks.  The  best 
specimens  of  the  Poitou  jack  are  black  with  light  points  and 
vary  in  height  from  13|  to  15  hands.  The  head  and  ears  are 
very  large ;  the  mouth  and  nostrils  are  small ;  the  neck  is  short, 
thick,  and  broad;  the  body  is  long  and  deep;  the  legs  are  short, 
straight,  and  flat,  and  the  bone  is  large  and  hard;  the  hocks 
are  very  large;  and  the  feet  are  large  and  more  spreading  than 
are  those  of  any  other  breed  of  asses. 

The  Maltese  jacks  come  from  the  island  of  Malta  in  the 
Mediterranean  Sea;  they  are  black  or  brown  in  color;  usually 
stand  about  14^  hands;  are  very  lively  and  active;  the  head  is 
of  good  form,  with  sharp,  upright  ears;  and  the  bone  is  finer 
than  that  most  desired. 


§40  PONIES,  ASSES,  AND  MULES  21 

19.  Care  and  Management  of  Asses. — The  same  care  and 
management  that  is  recommended  for  draft  horses  is  equally 
applicable  for  asses.  The  latter  respond  as  readily  as  horses 
to  good  care  and  an  abundance  of  feed;  but  horses  cannot 
subsist  and  maintain  their  strength  on  so  coarse,  rough,  scanty 
feed  as  asses  can. 

MULES 

20.  General  Description. — A  mule  is  a  hybrid  resulting 
from  the  crossing  of  a  jack  and  a  inare.  If  the  cross  is  reversed 
and  a  stallion  is  bred  to  a  jenny,  the  resulting  offspring  is  called 
a  hinny.  The  conformation  of  the  mule  resembles,  in  most 
respects,  that  of  its  sire,  but  in  the  best  specimen  of  draft 
mules  the  influence  of  the  dam  is  shown  in  the  size  of  the  mule, 
in  the  shape  of  its  body,  and  in  its  strength  and  courage.  The 
head  of  the  mule  is  large,  with  a  somewhat  Roman  nose;  the 
ears  are  large  and  long;  the  mane  is  rather  scant  and  stands 
upright;  and  the  body  is  somewhat  smaller  and  more  round 
than  that  of  the  dam,  although  the  more  nearly  it  approaches 
the  shape  of  the  draft  horse  the  more  desirable  is  the  mule. 
In  the  best  specimens,  the  legs  are  well  muscled,  the  tendons 
are  easily  distinguished  and  sometimes  are  quite  prominent, 
and  the  bone  is  large,  fine,  smooth,  and  hard;  and  the  feet  are 
narrower  and  longer  than  those  of  the  mare,  but  are  larger 
and  more  spreading  than  those  of  the  jack. 

In  size,  mules  vary  from  600  to  1,800  pounds,  according  to 
the  size  of  the  jacks  and  mares  used  in  producing  them  and 
according  to  the  care  and  feed  used  in  raising  them.  Also, 
the  color  of  mules  varies  according  to  the  color  of  their  parents. 
The  common  colors  are  black,  brown,  bay,  sorrel,  chestnut, 
gray,  and  white;  brown  and  bay  are  the  colors  most  often  seen. 

21.  Temperament  of  Mules. — Mules  are  quiet,  patient 
animals,  and  for  steady,  hard  pulling  they  are  superior  to  any 
class  of  animals  in  the  horse  family.  Mules  are  not  nearly  so 
much  given  to  kicking  as  is  generally  believed;  in  fact,  persons 
in  position  to  speak  authoritatively  on  the  subject  claim  that 
when  mules  are  properly  treated  they  are  no  worse  in  this 


22  PONIES,  ASSES,  AND  MULES  §40 

respect  than  are  horses.  But,  if  mules  are  abused  they  kick 
in  self-defense  and  if  kicking  proves  efifective  in  stopping  the 
abuse,  they  resort  to  this  method  of  defense  very  readily. 

22.  Endurance  of  Mules. — It  is  generally  conceded  that 
mules  can  endure  hard  work  for  a  longer  period  and  subsist 
on  a  smaller  quantity  and  poorer  quality  of  feed  than  can 
horses.  Also,  mules  are  hardier  and  more  able  to  endure  the 
hot  sun  than  horses,  and  for  this  reason  are  more  commonly 
used  than  draft  horses  in  southern  climates.  In  spite  of  the 
hard  work  that  they  usually  perform  and  the  indifferent  care 
that  they  sometimes  receive,  mules,  as  a  rule,  live  much  longer 
than  horses.  It  is  not  uncommon  for  them  to  be  in  working 
condition  at  30  years  of  age  and  there  are  records  of  mules 
having  lived  until  they  were  40  years  old. 

23.  Influence  of  Sex  on  the   Salability  of  Mules. — The 

sexual  organs  of  mules  are  incomplete  to  the  extent  that  these 
animals  do  not  breed.  A  few  cases  have  been  reported  where 
a  female  mule  has  become  impregnated  and  produced  young; 
if  authentic,  such  cases  are  exceedingly  rare.  As  a  rule, 
female  mules  are  more  popular  with  dealers  and  feeders  and 
usually  sell  more  readily  than  do  male  mules.  This  is  due  to 
the  fact  that  female  mules  mature  at  a  slightly  earlier  age, 
are  not  inclined  to  be  so  angular,  and  can  be  fattened  more 
easily  when  young  than  the  male  mules.  Although,  for  certain 
kinds  of  work,  male  mules  are  preferred. 

24.  Resistance  of  Mules  to  Diseases. — It  is  often  claimed 
by  mule  dealers  that  mules  are  immune  from  the  diseases  and 
ailments,  with  which  horses  are  commonly  afflicted.  This  claim, 
however,  is  only  partly  true,  as  careful  investigations  have 
shown  that,  although  mules  are  apparently  exempt  from  certain 
diseases,  they  are  very  susceptible  to  other  diseases.  Thus, 
in  certain  sections  of  the  United  States  infested  with  buffalo 
gnats,  mules  succumb  to  the  attacks  of  these  insects  more  than 
do  any  other  class  of  domestic  animals.  On  the  other  hand, 
mules  are  not  so  subject  to  disease  and  unsoundness  of  the  legs 
and  feet  as  are  horses,  and  the  cases  of  spavin,  ringbone,  or 


§  40  PONIES,  ASSES,  AND  MULES  23 

sidebone  that  do  occur  on  mules  do  not  as  greatly  reduce  their 
commercial  value  as  such  unsoundnesses  do  on  horses. 

25.  Use  of  Mules. — The  chief  use  of  mules  is  for  draft 
purposes.  In  the  southern  and  central  portions  of  the  United 
States  mules  are  used  extensively  on  farms  and  plantations  for 
agricultural  purposes;  they  are  also  used  much  more  generally 
than  horses  by  contractors  in  the  United  States  in  the  con- 
struction of  levees  and  railroad  grades;  and  in  coal  mines 
mules  are  practically  the  only  animals  used  for  drawing  cars 
of  coal  from  the  workings  in  the  mines  to  the  hoisting  shafts. 
In  fact,  almost  everywhere  that  draft  animals  are  required, 
mules  are  extensively  used.  In  some  portions  of  the  southern 
part  of  the  United  States  mules  are  used  as  saddle  animals, 
especially  by  negroes;  and,  in  some  sections  they  are  driven, 
singly  and  in  pairs,  as  carriage  animals  and  have  drawn  forth 
favorable  comment  on  account  of  their  action  and  speed. 

26.  Market  Requirements  for  Mules. — ^The  mule  market 
requires  sound,  shapely,  mature  young  mules,  with  size  and ' 
action  suitable  for  the  use  to  which  they  are  to  be  put;  and 
their  market  value  is  rated  on  soundness,  conformation,  size, 
general  appearance,  condition,  quality,  age,  color,  and  action. 

Soundness  is  more  important  than  everything  else.  Mules, 
like  horses,  to  be  useful  must  be  serviceably  sound.  There 
is  no  objection  to  slight  blemishes  that  do  not  interfere  with 
the  serviceability  of  the  animals;  but  there  is  always  objec- 
tion to  an  unsoundness  or  blemish  that  is  likely  to  interfere 
with  the  usefulness  of  a  mule  in  any  way.  Thus,  serious 
objection  is  made  to  wire  marks  about  the  feet  of  mules  that 
are  to  be  worked  in  the  mines,  since  these  marks  are  easily 
affected  by  sulphur  or  other  minerals  with  which  the  feet 
constantly  come  in  contact  in  mines.  However,  such  a  blem- 
ish might  not  be  objectionable  on  mules  that  are  to  be  worked 
on  farms.  The  most  common  unsoundnesses  that  are  objected 
to  and  looked  for  are  large  spavins,  puffs,  sidebones,  ring- 
bones, bad  eyes,  and  broken  wind. 

The  conformation  of  mules  should  be- indicative  of  strength 
and  endurance,  and  their  size  should  be  suitable  for  the  work 


24  PONIES,  ASSES,  AND  MULES  §  40 

that  they  are  expected  to  do.  Mules  that  work  on  city  streets 
usually  wear  out  first  in  the  feet,  and  because  of  this  fact  good, 
large,  feet  are  an  important  consideration  of  the  buyer  when 
he  is  purchasing  a  mule  for  city  use.  For  farm  use  the  size 
of  the  feet  does  not  command  so  much  attention. 

The  general  appearance  of  mules  is  an  important  market 
requirement,  and  is  greatly  affected  by  the  quantity  of  flesh 
that  is  carried  and  the  quality  of  the  coat.  The  market 
demands  that  choice  mules  be  in  good  condition  and  have 
enough  flesh  to  round  out  their  bodies.  Many  mule  dealers 
make  a  business  of  buying  mules  that  are  in  thin  flesh,  or  poor, 
and  fattening  and  then  reselling  them.  The  estimated  value 
of  the  flesh  thus  put  on  the  mules  is  25  cents  per  pound.  The 
market  requires  that  the  mules  should  show  quality,  which 
is  indicated  by  a  sleek,  glossy  coat  of  short  hair,  a  coat  of  this 
description  often  being  estimated  to  be  worth  about  $10,  and 
by  firm,  clean,  strong  bone. 

The  most  desirable  age  for  mules  is  determined  somewhat 
by  the  market  class  in  which  a  mule  is  placed ;  but  in  most  cases 
the  most  salable  age  is  from  4  to  8  years. 

Color  is  of  secondary  consideration  as  a  market  requirement ; 
dapple-gray  mules  are  very  popular  in  the  draft  class;  but  as 
a  general  rule  bays,  browns,  and  chestnuts  are  most  desirable; 
and  matched  pairs  usually  sell  for  more  than  double  the  price 
of  single  mules.  Action,  also,  is  a  minor  consideration  in  mules 
so  long  as  they  are  not  sore  in  limbs  and  show  vigor  and  energy 
in  their  movements. 

27.  Market  Classes  of  Mules. — On  account  of  the  various 
purposes  for  which  mules  are  used,  there  exists  in  the  leading 
mule  markets  an  active  demand  for  large  numbers  of  mules 
of  distinctly  different  description  as  regards  size  and  general 
conformation.  In  the  East  St.  Louis  mule  market,  which  is 
the  largest  mule  market  in  the  world,  all  mules  are  sold  in  one 
of  the  five  following  market  classes:  Mining  mules,  cotton 
mules,  sugar  mules,  farm  mules,  and  draft  mules. 

28.  Mining  mules  are  such  mules  as  are  purchased  for  use 
in  and  about  mines.     Mules  for  this  purpose  must  be  compact 


25 


§  40  PONIES,  ASSES,  AND  MULES  27 

in  conformation,  have  a  short  and  deep  body,  short  legs,  strong 
and  heavy  bone,  large  feet,  and  be  rugged  throughout.  Small 
miiles  used  in  mines  where  a  thin  vein  of  coal  or  ore  is  worked 
are  called  pit  mules;  their  height  will  depend  on  the  depth  of 
the  vein  in  which  they  are  used.  For  this  reason  mining  mules 
range  in  height  from  12  to  16  hands  and  vary  in  weight  from 
600  to  1,350  pounds.  The  colors  most  sought  in  mining  mules 
are  dark  bay  and  black.  The  mule  shown  in  Fig.  10  is  14^  hands 
high,  weighs  about  1,100  pounds,  is  a  choice  animal,  and  is 
typical  of  the  market  class  of  mining  mules. 

The  demand  for  this  class  of  mules  in  the  large  mule  mar- 
kets is  strong  and  constant  throughout  the  entire  year  and 
for  this  reason  mining  mules  usually  command  very  satisfac- 
tory prices.  Male  mules  from  5  to  8  years  old  are  more  in 
demand  than  are  female  or  younger  mules,  although  well- 
preserved  mules  up  to  12  years  of  age  are  readily  salable. 

29.  Cotton  mules  are  such  mules  as  are  used  on  cotton 
plantations  for  planting,  cultivating,  and  harvesting  the  cot- 
ton crop.  However,  many  mules  that  are  sold  as  cotton 
mules  never  see  a  cotton  field,  but  are  used  for  many  other 
purposes,  chief  among  which  may  be  mentioned  the  drawing 
of  delivery  wagons  in  the  cities  of  certain  sections  of  the  United 
States.  These  mules  show  much  quality  in  their  general  con- 
formation. They  have  small,  neat  heads  and  compact  bodies; 
and,  as  a  rule,  they  have  longer  legs,  smaller  feet,  are  lighter  in 
weight,  and  higher  in  proportion  to  their  weight  than  are 
mining  mules.  In  height,  they  vary  from  13|  to  15|  hands; 
in  weight,  they  vary  from  750  to  1,100  pounds.  A  choice 
cotton  mule  15j  hands  high,  weighing  about  1,050  pounds, 
and  showing  a  high  degree  of  quality  and  finish  is  illustrated 
in  Fig.  11. 

The  demand  for  cotton  mules  is  strongest  throughout  the 
fall  and  winter  months,  young  mare  mules  from  3  to  7  years 
old  being  preferred. 

30.  Sugar  mules  are  such  mules  as  are  sold  in  the  mule 
markets  to  be  taken  to  the  sugar  plantations  of  Georgia, 
Louisiana,  and  other  Southern  States  for  agricultural  purposes. 

243—42 


§  40  PONIES,  ASSES,  AND  MULES  29 

They  are  larger,  taller,  have  heavier  bone,  and  usually  have 
more  quality  and  finish  than  cotton  mules.  For  this  reason 
the  former  usually  commands  a  somewhat  higher  price  than 
do  cotton  mules.  The  market — which  for  sugar  mules  is 
strongest  during  the  months  of  September,  October,  and 
November — shows  a  preference  for  mares  that  are  from  3  to 
6  years  of  age.  Sugar  mules  stand  from  16  to  17  hands  high 
and  weigh  from  1,150  to  1,300  pounds.  A  choice  sugar  mule 
16 J  hands  high,  weighing  about  1,200  pounds,  and  possessing 
much  quality  and  finish  is  shown  in  Fig.  12. 

31.  Farm  mules  are  such  mules  as  are  sold  to  be  used  for 
general  farm  work.  Mules  of  this  class  lack  uniformity  in 
conformation,  and  do  not  have  the  style  and  finish  that  are 
reqmred  in  all  other  market  classes  of  mules.  The  lack  of 
uniformity  is  due  to  the  facts  that  farmers  differ  very  widely 
as  to  the  kind  of  mules  that  are  best  suited  for  farm  work, 
and  that  many  farmers  desire  to  purchase  young,  thin  mules 
then  after  working  them  for  a  year  or  more  to  fatten  and  resell 
them  as  mining,  sugar,  or  cotton  mules.  Although  fann  mules, 
as  they  leave  the  markets,  are  likely  to  be  rather  plain  looking 
and  thin  in  flesh,  they  usually  possess  good  constitutions, 
strong,  clean  bone,  and  fairly  large  feet.  They  usually  stand 
from  15|  to  16  hands  high  and  weigh  from  900  to  1,250  pounds. 
The  mule  shown  in  Fig.  13  stands  15f  hands  high,  weighs  about 
1,150  pounds,  and  shows  such  quality  and  finish  as  is  found  in 
choice  farm  mules. 

The  demand  for  farm  mules  is  not  so  great  and  they  usually 
sell  for  less  than  mules  of  the  other  market  classes.  Sex  and 
age  do  not  have  as  much  bearing  on  the  prices  of  farm  mules 
as  these  factors  have  on  the  prices  of  other  classes  of  mules. 

32,  Draft  mules,  like  draft  horses,  are  large,  strong,  low- 
set  animals  with  all  the  weight  that  can  be  secured  with  a  draft- 
horse  type  of  conformation.  They  are  very  rugged  and  well- 
muscled;  the  body  of  a  draft  mule  is  short,  deep,  and  broad; 
the  back  is  broad  and  short;  the  legs  are  large  and  clean;  and 
the  feet  are  large.  They  are  extensively  used  for  teaming, 
especially  where  heavy  loads  are  to  be  moved;  they  are  like- 


31 


32  PONIES,  ASSES,  AND  MULES  §  40 

wise  used  extensively  by  contractors  for  railroad  grading,  and 
because  of  this  fact  they  are  sometimes  called  railroad  mules. 
The  usual  range  in  height  is  from  16  to  17^  hands,  and  the 
range  in  weight  is  from  1,200  to  1,600  pounds;  although  the 
latter  weight  is  often  exceeded.  A  large,  rugged,  choice,  draft 
mule  that  measures  17  hands  high  and  weighs  about  1,500 
pounds  is  shown  in  Fig.  14. 

The  demand  for  draft  mules  is  strong  and  constant.  Mules 
from  5  to  8  years  of  age  are  in  greatest  demand  and  there  is 
little  difference  in  preference  in  respect  to  sex. 

33.  Mule  Raising. — The  first  essential  to  the  raising  of 
first-class  mules  is  the  selection  of  a  good,  sound  mare  with  a 
deep,  capacious  chest,  well-sprung  ribs,  close  coupling,  long 
and  nicely  turned  croup,  deep  muscular  quarters,  broad  thighs, 
smooth  heavy  bone,  and  large  sound  feet.  If  it  is  intended  to 
raise  mining  or  draft  mules,  a  low-set  mare  should  be  used; 
if  sugar  and  cotton  mules  are  to  be  raised,  a  rather  tall  mare 
should  be  used.  The  more  quality,  style,  and  action  that  is 
possessed  by  the  mare,  the  more  pronounced  these  qualities 
will  be  in  the  mules.  The  theory  is  advanced  by  some  mule 
breeders  that  an  unsound  mare,  when  bred  to  a  jack,  is  more 
likely  to  produce  a  sound  mule  than  to  produce  a  sound  colt 
when  bred  to  a  stallion,  and,  on  account  of  this  fact,  there  is  a 
common  custom  of  breeding  unsound  mares  to  jacks  rather 
than  to  stallions.  It  must  not  be  understood  from  this,  how- 
ever, that  as  good  a  mule  can  be  raised  from  an  unsound  mare 
as  from  a  sound  one,  for  such  is  not  usually  the  case.  But 
the  unsoundness,  if  it  is  reproduced  in  the  mule,  is  not  per- 
petuated, as  might  be  the  case  in  horse  colts. 

The  second  essential  in  raising  choice  mules  is  the  selection 
of  a  jack  that  gets  good,  strong  mules.  A  jack  should  not 
stand  less  than  15  hands  high.  He  should  have  a  large  head, 
a  rather  heavy  jaw,  a  tapering  muzzle,  and  long  ears  that  are 
heavy  at  their  base  and  taper  to  a  point;  long  shoulders;  a 
deep  chest;  long,  well-sprung  ribs;  a  rather  short,  straight 
back;  close  coupling;  a  long  croup;  deep  quarters;  thick  thighs; 
strong,  heavy  bones;  and  large  feet. 


§  40  PONIES,  ASSES,  AND  MULES  33 

A  young  mule  taxes  the  energy  of  a  mare  more  than  does  &,  colt, 
because  the  former  is  always  pulling  at  the  dug,  or  teat.  The 
young  mules  should  be  halter  broken  and  handled  the  same  as 
colts,  and  as  soon  as  the  mules  are  weaned  they  should  be 
placed  in  a  pasture  by  themselves,  because  they  are  very  mis- 
chievous and  if  placed  in  the  same  pasture  with  calves,  sheep, 
or  pigs  will  worry  and  perhaps  injure  them.  Mules  seem  to 
thrive  best  if  they  are  not  tied  up  in  stalls,  but  are  allowed  to 
run  on  pasture,  and,  during  the  winter  months,  especially  in 
those  sections  where  the  winters  are  cold,  have  access  to  a 
warm  shed  or  large  box  stall  in  a  barn  and  are  supplied  with 
grain  and  hay. 

34.  Feeding  of  Mules.— Although  the  same  general  prin- 
ciples governing  the  feeding  of  draft  horses  will  apply  to  the 
feeding  of  mules,  the  latter  differ  from  horses  somewhat  in 
their  habits  of  eating  and  drinking.  Mules  seem  to  know 
enough  not  to  eat  a  large  quantity  of  feed  nor  to  drink  too 
much  water  at  one  time  or  when  they  are  heated  by  exercise. 
If  a  mule  has  his  liberty  after  working  hard  all  day  and  has 
access  to  feed  and  water,  he  will  drink  a  few  swallows  of  water, 
eat  a  few  mouthftds  of  feed,  li  e  down  and  roll,  and,  upon  getting 
up  will  repeat  this  routine  for  a  dozen  times  or  more  during  an 
evening.  In  this  way  he  will  consume  a  larger  quantity  of  feed 
and  water  during  the  night  and  will  keep  in  better  condition 
than  if  tied  in  a  stall  at  night.  As  mules  consume  their  grain 
feed  slowly,  they  should  not  be  hurried  at  feeding  time,  and 
should  receive  a  larger  quantity  of  feed  at  night  than  at  the 
morning  or  noon  feed.  They  should  be  watered  frequently, 
and  as  they  drink  very  slowly  they  should  not  be  rushed  when 
they  are  drinking.  As  a  rule,  mules  will  not  consume  more 
than  1  pound  of  concentrates  and  If  pounds  of  roughage  per 
100  pounds  of  live  weight  in  a  day.  In  general,  the  same  kinds 
of  rations  that  are  adapted  for  the  feeding  of  draft  horses  are 
suitable  for  the  feeding  of  mules.  A  satisfactory  ration  for 
mules  is  3  parts  of  com,  2  parts  of  oats,  and  1  part  of  wheat 
bran,  if  fed  in  connection  with  grass,  clover,  or  alfalfa  hay. 
Mules  are  very  fond  of  corn  fodder,  and,  if  they  are  not  worked, 


34  PONIES,  ASSES,  AND  MULES  §40 

can  winter  on  it  alone.  Young,  growing  mules,  mules  that  are 
being  fattened  for  market,  and  mules  that  are  being  worked 
should  receive  concentrates  in  addition  to  all  the  roughage 
that  they  will  eat.  Some  mule  raisers,  while  fattening  their 
mules,  feed  blackstrap  molasses  extensively  to  secure  a  fine 
coat  of  hair. 


PONIES,  ASSES,  AND  MULES 


EXAMINATION   QUESTIONS 

(1)  What  is  the  nature  of  the  winter  coat  of  young  Shetland 
ponies  ? 

(2)  Give  the  differences  in  the  conformation  of  the  horse 
and  the  ass. 

(3)  In  what  respects  does  the  conformation  of  a  mining 
mule  differ  from  that  of  a  cotton  mule? 

(4)  What  is  the  maximum  height  of  a  Shetland  pony  that 
will  be  registered  by  the  American  Shetland  Pony  Club? 

(5)  Give  the  range  in  height  and  in  weight  of  each  of  the 
market  classes  of  mules. 

(6)  What  is  the  chief  use  of  asses  in  America? 

(7)  Name  the  principal  breeds  of  asses  that  are  used  in  the 
United  States. 

(8)  What  is  the  difference  between  a  mule  and  a  hinny? 

(9)  Why  do  farm  mules  lack  uniformity  in  conformation? 

(10)  Where  were  the  bronco  ponies  originally  found? 

(11)  At  about  what  age  shordd   Shetland   pony   colts  be 
weaned  ? 

(12)  On  what  qualities  is  the  market  value  of  mules  based? 

(13)  What    is    the    principal    use    of    Shetland    ponies    in 
America  ? 

§  40 


2  PONIES,  ASSES,  AND  MULES  §  40 

(14)  Why  are  female  mules  a  little  more  popular  than  male 
mules  with  mule  dealers  ? 

(15)  What  is  the  origin  of  the  Indian  and  the  bronco 
ponies? 

(16)  Compare  the  general  conformation  of  the  Shetland 
and  the  Welsh  ponies. 

(17)  What  are  pit  mules? 

(18)  Name  the  market  classes  of  mules. 

(19)  Give  the  approximate  weights  of  the  Shetland  and  the 
bronco  ponies. 

(20)  On  what  does  the  size  of  mules  depend? 

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